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Nor do I. As some would say, "Not my job, Man!" '-)
I would probably capitalize the term, "Wire Stripper" -- because, I believe it is the Holy Spirit who is the One who is capable of stripping us down to our "Christ-like" (the original definition of "Christian") core.
And it is He, who on occasions when we get our "insulating" selves out of the way and let Him lead, "strips us down to basics", and brings us into connection with others in similar condition. It is then that we truly make the contact that is Divine fellowship with other believers -- and that the sparks of joy fly, and that the current of his power flows between us.
IOW, it is when we meet at our most basic level as believers -- stripped down and exposed -- that we experience a glimpse of the joyous fellowship that awaits in eternity.
It is then, IMO, that we are truly His Church!
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And, I am ready to testify, I have had some such moments of joyous fellowship here -- on FR -- with each of you!!! <BIG OL' SMILE!!!!>
Thank you, Brother and Sisters -- and thank You, Lord!!
Thank you, Brother and Sisters -- and thank You, Lord!!
Hmmmmm... Did I just quote Bart Simpson? '-}
Church(New Testament gk.) means merely those gathered "out of the world" together.. The Body of Christ is "the" metaphor.. The word church has been morphed to mean other things.. organizational things.. The vision is of the Body of Christ.. not the one that walked in Galilee but of the body Jesus came to create.. and did create.. Funny how you can "sense" the grace of another member(of the body) usually.. not always but usually..
One spirit/Spirit.. in at one ment.. The Father, Christ and "us".. The word church will go away the Body of Christ is ageless and transcendent as the Spirit/spirit is NOW.. The penultimate metaphor.. decribing something far greater than many can understand now.. The Vision of Jesus the Christ(Revelation ch1;1) is the history of the Body of Christ.. quite wonderful.. and the Vision ends in a wonderful metaphorical prose of shining precious stones.. gold and silver (all metaphorical operators).. To miss this spiritual prose is to miss something quite wonderful..
Like hosepipe said, "Stripping works for me!" LOL!!!
As the Lord would have it, I received a devotion on the very same subject in my email today: "...whatever happens, we are never without his power."